A vacation to "disconnect" from life

This photograph of Redwood National Park in California, USA, was used by the travel company Black Tomato to showcase a new travel trend: trips seeking tranquility, connection with nature, and inner peace. Photo: AP — This photograph of Redwood National Park in California, USA, was used by the travel company Black Tomato to showcase a new travel trend: trips seeking tranquility, connecting with nature, and finding inner peace.

Sandoval began practicing meditation a few years ago, attending retreats at temples around San Francisco and elsewhere. He enjoys walking, sitting quietly, gardening, and reflecting on life during his vacations. More recently, Sandoval has been backpacking solo throughout Spain. The male traveler enjoys the silence of his travels – a tranquility that is utterly indescribable.

" The world is getting noisier and noisier, and it's getting harder and harder to escape it," lamented travel journalist Chloe Berge while hiking on a remote beach in the Faroe Islands.

But seeking getaways from the hustle and bustle of everyday life is still worthwhile for travelers who enjoy quietude. According to an AP survey , demand for these trips is growing, becoming one of the latest trends in modern travel.

For many people, seeking tranquility during vacations is not just about escaping the hustle and bustle of life, but also about expressing a need to connect with their inner selves and understand themselves more deeply. After their vacations, they feel better mentally and healthier.

Alex Hawkins, managing partner of the trend forecasting and consulting firm The Future Laboratory, said that transformative travel (where travelers experience positive changes in their thinking, emotions, and health after a trip) is a trend being closely monitored and developed by many experts. This trend is geared towards users' desire for experiences that allow them "time to reflect on things" during their trip.

Dark Retreats, a travel company in Oregon, USA, offers a 5-day Dark Retreat tour, leading travelers into private spaces for self-care through healthy eating and immersion in darkness. Participants can turn off the lights for as long as they like during their stay, and decide when they want to talk to someone or remain completely silent. "Unplug, de-stress, and recharge" is a silent meditation retreat sold by another travel company, taking travelers to Bali, Portugal, Mexico, or the Netherlands to participate.

American acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton spent decades wandering through rainforests, coastlines, and deserts in search of fascinating sounds in nature. These sounds are rare and difficult to hear in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Currently, Hempton is a co-founder of Quiet Parks International, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the benefits of living in a quiet environment. Zabalo River in Ecuador was the first park in the world to be awarded the title of "Quiet Park" by Hempton's organization. Theoretically, it's not completely silent, as there are monkey calls, bird calls, and flowing water. But these are natural sounds, and the nearest inhabited area is a village of about 200 people located 16 km away. Besides Zabalo River, several other destinations have been designated as Quiet Parks, such as the area in Hampstead Heath, about 48 km from central London, England.

These tranquil areas allow people to connect with nature, offering experiences such as forest bathing, expanding the senses for meditation, and relaxing while strolling.

For travelers who want to experience being "lost" in an unfamiliar place, the Black Tomato travel company offers a trip called Get Lost. Guests need to fill out a questionnaire about their expected experiences and agree to be unfamiliar with the destination beforehand. These areas are categorized into types of terrain such as polar regions, deserts, coastal areas, jungles, or mountainous regions. Afterward, travelers receive advice, guidance, the best time for the trip, and necessary equipment and maps to navigate their unfamiliar location. The journey is closely monitored by experts and a local rescue team. Rescue is possible at any time.

Tom Marchant, co-founder of Black Tomato, said they have successfully organized these "lost journeys," taking clients to Iceland and Alaska. They once took a client on a solo trip to Mongolia and another female client on a solo trek across the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

Marchant points out that there are currently many challenges in environmental management, but "this is also a time for people to disconnect from everyday life in a completely new way."

TB (according to VnExpress)

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